Alumni Travel Program

The Villanova University Alumni Association is thrilled to re-launch our travel program! Explore destinations around the world with Villanova alumni, family and friends.
We invite the entire Villanova community to join us as we celebrate the University’s traditions and values through our alumni travel program. Our trips provide a rich travel experience thanks to their educational character, unique access to special events and, most importantly, traveling with your fellow Wildcats.
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah Doody, at alumnitravel@villanova.edu or 904-432-3141.
Upcoming Tours

2025 Programs

Irish Elegance
April 5-13, 2025
Price: $4,499 per person (based on double occupancy; $1,500 single supplement). Airfare not included.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
Guest Lecturer: Travel with and hear from Joseph Lennon, PhD, Emily C. Riley Director of the Center for Irish Studies and Associate Dean of International and Interdisciplinary Initiatives at Villanova University.
- Eight nights of accommodations.
- Specially selected hotels.
- Coaches buses with WiFi.
- Eight breakfasts and 4 dinners.
- Airport transfers.
Highlights:
- In Dublin: See Custom House, the Guinness Brewery, Christchurch Cathedral and St. Patrick's Cathedral.
- In Cashel: See the Rock of Cashel where St. Patrick preached.
- In Blarney: Visit the lush gardens of the Blarney Castle estate with a senior gardener and see the famous Blarney Stone
- Travel through the Ring of Kerry: Venture into a world of towering cliffs, lush lakelands and remote villages, as you journey the magical Ring of Kerry.
- See the Cliffs of Moher: Stop by the Exhibition Centre and look out over the Wild Atlantic Way from these majestic cliffs.
- In Galway: Visit the stunning cathedral of the City of Tribes. Admire its Renaissance style dome and unique rose shaped window.
- Kylemore Abbey & Victorian Walled Garden: Visit the turreted Neo-Gothic Kylemore Abbey. This monastery was founded in 1920 for Benedictine Nuns who fled Belgium in World War I.
- Ashford Castle: On arrival to Ashford Castle, you are escorted over the drawbridge by a lone piper for a majestic entrance fit for royalty.
Not Included:
- Airfare
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Canyon Country Showcase
October 5-11, 2025
Price: $2,250 per person (based on double occupancy; $414 single supplement). Airfare not included.
Trip Status: Reserve your spot.
- An expert travel director and professional driver.
- Cherry-picked hotels, all tried and trusted.
- Six breakfasts and one lunch.
- Audio headsets provided throughout your holiday to enhance your included sightseeing experiences.
- Luxury air-conditioned coach buses with WiFi.
- City orientation tours.
Sightseeing Highlights
- Las Vegas - visit the entertainment capital of the world.
- Grand Canyon - experience this stunning UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Horseshoe Bend visit - one of the most photographed areas on the Colorado River.
- Monument Valley - explore the treasures of the Navajo people with a guide in a 4-wheel drive tour.
- Bryce Canyon National Park - stare in awe at the multi-coloured hoodoos.
- Zion National Park - revel in one of the most scenic canyons.
- Wupatki National Monument - visit the ancestral lands of the Hopi native people.
Variety of Optional Experiences (additional costs apply)
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 2025: GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING
- North Canyon Tour Helicopter Flight. Bell Aircraft - 25 min.
- Grand Kingdom - 40 min. EcoStar Helicopter Flight
- Grand Discovery Air Tour South Rim - 45 min. Fixed-Wing Aircraft Flight
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2025: BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK SIGHTSEEING
- Ebenezer's Dinner and Show
- Ruby's Horseback Adventures
Not Included:
- Airfare
- Gratuities for the driver and travel director. Recommended gratuities per person, per day: driver USD $6.60 - $8:50 and Tour Director USD $7.50 - $9.50
- Porterage of luggage
- Airport Transfers
- Recommended that guests bring a reusable water bottle
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu
2026 Programs

The Luxurious Caribbean Sea
February 1 – 9, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $6,995, per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Registration coming soon.
- Cruise for 8 nights from St. Maarten to Curacao aboard the exclusively chartered Sea Cloud Spirit, a deluxe, 3-masted small sailing ship.
- Panoramic tour of Soufrière in St. Lucia, featuring its iconic pitons.
- Visit the spice island of Grenada, famous for nutmeg and chocolate.
- Specially arranged excursion in Kralendijk, Bonaire, with a choice between touring the Washington Slagbaai National Park or the North and South Island.
- Three UNESCO World Heritage sites: St. Lucia and the 2 volcanic spires in its Pitons Management Area; the Cabrits National Park and Fort hirley on the island of Dominica; and Mount Pelée, an active volcano on the north end of Martinique.
- Visit the black sand beaches of Montserrat, known as the "Emerald Isle of the Caribbean" because of its dramatic cliffs and ties to Irish Catholics who fled here in the 17th century.
- Immerse yourself in the history and culture of Saint-Pierre on the French island of Martinique, known as the "little Paris of the West Indies," on a morning tour that includes a visit to the Volcanological Museum.
- Included meals | 2 receptions, 8 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 8 dinners
- Liquor, house wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages and minibar service throughout the cruise.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Island Life Greek Isles and Ephesus: Sailing the Aegean Sea and the Turquoise Coast
September 9 – 17, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $6,190, per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Registration coming soon.
- Exclusive journey through the Aegean Sea to historic Greek islands
and Turkey's Turquoise Coast. - Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions throughout your program.
- Specially arranged visit to Hydra, one of Greece's most beautiful, yet least-touristic, islands.
- Four UNESCO World Heritage sites: Medieval City of Rhodes, Monastery of Saint John the Theologian and Cave of the Apocalypse on the Island of Patmos and Delos in Greece and Ephesus, Turkey.
- All meals | 2 receptions, 7 breakfasts, 6 lunches and 7 dinners.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
- Wander the narrow cobblestone streets of Monemvasia, a stunning Byzantine town hidden on an island off the eastern Peloponnese coast.
- Discover the lovely island of Santorini and visit the ruins of the prehistoric village of Akrotiri and Fira, the island's main town, known for its whitewashed buildings and blue-domed churches.
- Venture to the Lindos on the island of Rhodes to admire the village's famous mosaics and to climb to the acropolis overlooking Lindos and the sparkling sea.
- Athens Pre-Program Option and Delphi Post‑Program Option.
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu

Christkindlmärkte along the Danube River: The Holidays in Austria & Germany
November 27 – December 5, 2026
Price: Cabin prices start at $3,690 per person based on double occupancy.
Trip Status: Registration coming soon.
- Exclusive journey to from Vienna to Nuremberg through the picturesque Wachau Valley.
- Access to ports unavailable to larger vessels and included excursions throughout your program.
- Specially arranged full-day excursion in Salzburg, one of Austria's loveliest cities.
- Four UNESCO World Heritage sites: Historic Centre of Vienna, Austria; Wachau Cultural Landscape, Austria; Historic Centre of the City of Salzburg, Austria; and Old Town of Regensburg, Germany.
- Complimentary nonpremium liquor, house wine, beer, nonalcoholic beverages, and minibar service throughout the cruise; complimentary
- house wine, beer and nonalcoholic beverages at meals during excursions.
- All meals | 2 receptions, 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 7 dinners.
- Complimentary Wi-Fi access (conditions permitting).
- Get into the holiday spirit at Christmas Markets in Vienna, Passau, Regensburg, Nuremberg, and Salzburg,
- Admire the elegant city of Vienna during a panoramic tour, followed by a visit to the world-famous Spanish Riding School and a tour of Schönbrunn Palace.
- Visit Dürnstein's 15th-century monastery that overlooks the Danube and attend an organ recital at the cathedral.
- Stroll through the baroque Benedictine abbey at Melk and enjoy a walk through the town.
- Explore Passau and see its beautiful baroque cathedral.
- Vienna Pre-Program Option and Munich Post‑Program Option.
For more information, please contact our Travel Program Coordinator, Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu
Completed Tours
Thank you to all the Villanovans who joined us on recent journeys!
Please note that in this ever-changing travel climate, all prices, itineraries, dates and departures are subject to change.
Required International SOS Membership
All travelers on Villanova University-sponsored international trips who are not current University employees or students are required to purchase an individual International SOS (ISOS) membership before departure. ISOS provides important pre-departure services, including guidance on vaccination requirements, necessary medications, and travel security information. While abroad, ISOS offers extensive support such as global assistance, medical and security evacuation services, access to physicians by phone, and referrals to over 68,000 vetted providers worldwide. Each traveler is required to purchase their ISOS membership directly from ISOS at buymembership.internationalsos.com and provide the policy number to Sarah Doody, our Villanova Travel Coordinator. If a traveler is ineligible for ISOS membership for any reason, please reach out to Sarah Doody to discuss options. *Villanova faculty and staff traveling with employment responsibilities are automatically covered by the University and will not need to purchase the ISOS.
ISOS vs. Travel Insurance: Please note that ISOS membership is mandatory for all travelers on Villanova-sponsored trips, as it provides essential medical and security assistance. Travel insurance, which covers issues such as cancellations, missed connections, and baggage delays, is separate from ISOS, optional, and does not replace ISOS benefits. For more details on ISOS coverage, please visit our FAQs page.
For more information, please contact Sarah S. Doody at alumnitravel@villanova.edu or call (904) 432-3141.